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Not sure if Adidas has any expertise in rackets of any kind. Given their financial resources, it should be easy to buy up some specialty shops to make rackets. Maybe Sotx?

Adidas don't need to buy another brand. They have been doing R&D way before launching the product range. It's time for their 2nd generation to be in final stages of planning. Perhaps they wil coincide it with LD sponsorship announcement ?

Who is doubtful, you or Li-Ning? Deny and deny outright but when the facts are too glaring for all the world to see, then discredit and discredit. Pathetic. Even if a sponsor only supported one event, we should still be appreciative. And what's Li-Ning doing in INA and going into IND? Just ask BWF what Li-Ning has been doing all these years. Talk is cheap but such talk is worse.

Not sure if Adidas has any expertise in rackets of any kind. Given their financial resources, it should be easy to buy up some specialty shops to make rackets. Maybe Sotx?

From what I've read on BC, it seems that a number of their rackets are actually not bad. Adidas has not gained as much market share as they would've liked to since launch. But signing up LD would be a step in the right direction and I'm sure if proven to be true, then sales would increase quite dramatically.

It should also not be forgotten that competition is a driver of further success. Without Li-Ning in the picture, it would only be Yonex and Victor left as the two "mega" brands. 3 brands competing will see more innovation than just the 2.

Li-Ning did its own R&D but also bought up Kason. If Adidas wants to expand its badminton presence quickly, it doesn't hurt to have Sotx in its fold, either as an in-house OEM or second brand to cover the whole range.

Then again, Adidas may not like the Li-Ning experiment and want to try something else.

Li-Ning did its own R&D but also bought up Kason. If Adidas wants to expand its badminton presence quickly, it doesn't hurt to have Sotx in its fold, either as an in-house OEM or second brand to cover the whole range.

Then again, Adidas may not like the Li-Ning experiment and want to try something else.

However, due to the new BAC ruling limiting 4 participants per nation based on BWF World Ranking, CHN has to sacrifice Chen Long, Du Pengyu and Wang Zhengming by withdrawing them in order to make way for Lin Dan's participation. The three aforementioned withdrawals will also subject CBA to penalties (USD2K each). Besides Lin Dan, the other three teammates accompanying him are Tian Houwei, Xue Song and Guo Kai.

Incidentally, LCW is giving the BAC a miss and MAS will be represented by Chong Wei Feng, Darren Liew and Goh Soon Huat. Likewise, the USD2K penalty will be imposed on LCW.

However, due to the new BAC ruling limiting 4 participants per nation based on BWF World Ranking, CHN has to sacrifice Chen Long, Du Pengyu and Wang Zhengming by withdrawing them in order to make way for Lin Dan's participation. The three aforementioned withdrawals will also subject CBA to penalties (USD2K each). Besides Lin Dan, the other three teammates accompanying him are Tian Houwei, Xue Song and Guo Kai.

Incidentally, LCW is giving the BAC a miss and MAS will be represented by Chong Wei Feng, Darren Liew and Goh Soon Huat. Likewise, the USD2K penalty will be imposed on LCW.

From the list, MAS can send the 4th participant Misbun Ramdan who is in the eligible list highlighted in yellow background or replace him with someone in the reserve list in blue background. Notice that Goh Soon Huat is from the reserve list. No idea why BAM didn't send the max 4 (or maybe they did but the author of the Chinese article wasn't aware of it).

In CHN's case, the 4 eligible MS players are 1. Chen Long, 2. Wang Zhengming, 2. Du Pengyu, and 4. Tian Houwei from which CHN dropped the first 3 while retaining THW and replaced them with Lin Dan, Xue Song and Guo Kai.

My guess is that CBA rested CL, WZM and DuPY to prepare for the Thomas Cup next month and fielded Lin Dan for tournament practice, to hone his skills and regain his competitive edge as much as possible, also as part of preparation for the TC; him competing in just one CHN Masters GPG event is not quite enough to gauge his combat readiness.